Atletico Madrid vs Man City LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction as City go through
Atletico Madrid 0-0 Manchester City (agg 0-1): A ferocious contest which saw Atletico defender Felipe sent off ultimately ended goalless as City booked their place in the final four
Manchester City survived a bruising encounter with Atletico Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals after a hard-fought goalless draw in the Spanish capital.
Pep Guardiola’s side battled an intimidating atmosphere and a fired-up home side at the Wanda Metropolitano to edge a tense quarter-final courtesy of last week’s equally-draining 1-0 first-leg win.
Atletico finished with 10 men as Felipe – who escaped a booking for a terrible challenge on Phil Foden in the first half – was sent off as home frustrations boiled over in the closing stages.
City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan went close to scoring when he hit the post in the first half but the visitors had to dig deep late on. Atletico upped the tempo in the closing stages and there were some moments of alarm, not least when Antoine Griezmann shot narrowly wide and Angel Correa tested Ederson in stoppage time.
Awaiting Man City are Real Madrid who knocked out Chelsea 5-4 on aggregate after a fantastic match at the Santiago Bernabeu last night.
All the action as it happened from Atletico vs Man City in the Champions League quarter-finals:
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho revealed earlier this week that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
He said: “I have decided with my family that we will go and that is the most important thing. I want to continue playing first-team football.
“I will go back to Brazil for sure.”
Pep Guardiola was later told about the revelation by the press.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Little pre-match kick around as the Manchester City players get themselves accustomed to the wonderful Madrid stadium.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Fun fact: Manchester City have a 100 per cent winning record against Atletico Madrid.
Another fun fact: The first time the two sides met was last week.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
It will be a full stadium inside the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid tonight as they look to push their side on towards a semi-final place in the Champions League.
But can they do it?
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Despite many predicting that three English teams would make it through to the semi-finals, there is now a good chance three Spanish sides could make up the last four.
Real Madrid and Villarreal are already there. Atletico Madrid will hope to join them this evening.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Pep Guardiola believes the match this evening will not resemble the sort of game that played out last week in Manchester.
He said: “It will be a different game, not like last week. They (Atletico) at home with their fans behind them.
“From what I remember from knockout games they (Atletico) have - really exciting moments in the (Vicente) Calderon, at the Wanda (Metropolitano) - they create problems, defend and counter.
“They (Atletico) will be more intense in the top half of the field than they were the other night. We adapt and if we’re losing we go with everything to get it back. If we’re on top maybe we sit a bit deeper.
“We have to play our game, what we have done these years. Always need 11 in knockout stages, focus on our game-plan. Win this game, help the other guys.”
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak, Savic, Felipe, Reinildo, Llorente, Kondogbia, Koke, Lemar, Lodi, Griezmann, João Félix.
Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
Manchester City’s last defeat in a two-legged Champions League tie was three years ago when Tottenham beat them on away goals in the quarter-finals.
Since then they have lost to Lyon over one leg and been beaten by Chelsea in the final.
Also, remember they cannot go out on away goals this evening because that rule no longer exists in the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
On the two occasions when Atletico Madrid have been trailing by a single goal following the away leg of a Champions League knockout tie, they have gone on to win.
The first of those occasions was in 2015 when they lost the first leg of their last 16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen 1-0, before winning the second leg 1-0 and getting the victory on penalties.
And then in 2016 they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the first leg of their quarter-final before winning the home leg 2-0.
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City
More from Simeone’s presser as he outlined Manchester City’s style of play and how he plans to combat it.
He said: “We are playing a team that plays excellent football – dynamic, great in possession, fast transitions. They make the most of every little space they find but we have the excitement and eagerness and whatever we can generate.
“Obviously excitement alone will not do, we will need to prove something else on the pitch to make the most of our style, but we will try to play.
“We are not going to go too far from what we normally do. We will go for the perfect timing to try to create what we can do. Anything can happen on the pitch.”
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